The mandolin is a small stringed instrument with eight strings in four pairs (two strings for each note) that are either plucked or strummed in a trill. It's a descendant from the lute (which has six pairs of strings and/or 12 strings in total) in Italy during the 19th Century though earlier versions of the instrument were played during the 14th Century around Europe (The history of the lute stretches much further back to very ancient times.). The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes but most often round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have either f-holes or a single round or oval sound hole.

A mandolin will usually have a hollow wooden body with a tailpiece that holds one end of the strings, a floating bridge, a neck with a flat (or slight radius) fretted fingerboard, a nut, and mechanical tuning machines to accommodate metal strings. There are, of course many tunings you can use on a mandolin, though the most common tuning is GDAE, which is the same as the common violin tuning.

As with any plucked instrument, the mandolin notes decay to silence rather than sound out continuously as with a bowed note on a violin. It's small size and high pitch make mandolin notes decay faster than larger stringed instruments like guitar, which encourages the use of tremolo (rapid picking of one or more pairs of strings) to create sustained notes or chords. The mandolin's paired strings facilitate this technique: the pick strikes each of a pair of strings alternately which provides a more full and continuous sound than a single string would.

Various design variations and amplification techniques have been used to make mandolins compatible in volume with louder instruments and orchestras. Hybridization with the louder banjo creates the mandolin-banjo, and resonators have been used, most notably by Dobro and the National String Instrument Corporation. Some musicians play electric mandolins through amplifiers.

Early mandolins had six double courses of gut strings, tuned similarly to lutes and were plucked with the fingertips. Modern mandolins, which originated in Naples, Italy in the late 18th century, tend to have four double courses (four pairs) of metal strings which are plucked with a pick.

Many variants of the mandolin have existed. These include Milanese, Lombard, Brescian and other six-course types, as well as four-string (one string per course), twelve-string (three strings per course), and sixteen-string (four strings per course).

Mandolins can come in several different forms. The bowl-back/round-back a.k.a. "Neapolitan style" is made similar to a lute, with a "bowl back", using strips of wood to form the bowl and usually has a canted, two-plane, uncarved top. There is another form that has a banjo-style body (the banjo mandolin).

Another style is the archtop, which came into existence towards the end of the 19th century. They have a carved top and back construction similar/inspired by the violin style of instrument. The archtop style is credited to Orville Gibson. Gibson mandolins evolved into two basic styles: the Florentine or F-style, which has a decorative scroll near the neck, two points on the lower body, and usually a scroll carved into the headstock; and the A-style, which is pear shaped, has no points, and usually has a simpler headstock. These styles will generally have either two F-shaped soundholes like a violin (F-5 and A-5), or an oval sound hole (F-4 and A-4 and lower models) directly under the strings.

A lot of variation exists between makers working from these archetypes and other variants have become increasingly common. Often in the United States, Gibson F-hole F-5 mandolins and mandolins influenced by that design are strongly associated with bluegrass, while the A-style is associated other types of music, although it too is most often used for and associated with bluegrass.

The F-5's more complicated woodwork also translates into a more expensive instrument. In Ireland and Britain, flat top and back instruments are often used. Internal bracing to support the top in the F-style mandolins is usually achieved with parallel tone bars, similar to the bass bar on a violin. Some makers instead employ "x-bracing," which is two tone bars mortised together to form an X. Some luthiers now using a "modified x-bracing" that incorporates both a tone bar and x-bracing.

Many modern mandolin makers build their instruments to replicate the Gibson F-5 Artist models that were built early in the 1920s.

Also related to the mandolin are the mandola, bouzouki, mando-bass, mandocello, and octave mandolin.

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European Mandolin Top solid spruce, Back solid maple, Neck and sides maple.Case not included.

Great looking and sounding mandolin. Made in Europe MAN034 $215.00

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Calache Style Mandolin with case With gorgeous woods and a classic, old world design, the Calache style mandolin will inspire your playing to a whole new level of excellence! Handcrafted by German Masterworks Guriema, this beautiful instrument offers a flamed Maple top and body with 13 staves of specially selected, resonant hardwoods. Rosewood sleeve, pick guard, and extended concert fingerboard, with machined classical tuners. Includes protective case.

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Lark's F Style Mandolin Our own carved solid spruce top F style mandolin, with f-holes, raised pickguard, 2 octave fingerboard, adjustable compensated bridge, and the full tone that has made this mandolin design very popular with players of all styles and genres from mandolin orchestras to Bluegrass and even jazz. MAN094 $630.00

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Colombian Tiple Based on a popular design of the late 1920's, this instrument offers the unique tone of the tiple, with its reentrant octave stringing. Although tuned GCEA like a metal-strung ukulele, it has a wider tonal range as all but the treble course has a low octave double, giving a rich timbre to a small instrument. Luthier built of solid tonewoods.

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Kentucky Mandolin Every Kentucky mandolin is meticulously hand-crafted from the finest materials to produce the finest possible instrument for players of every level. Taking advantage of our strength in the market, as well as our extensive knowledge of musical instrument construction, Saga has reintroduced the KM-160 A-model mandolin. Not only have all the specifications been upgraded, but they are now available in a 3 new color options.

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Rover A-Model Mandolin - Solid Top - Sunburst This price-leading, top-selling starter instrument has a solid spruce top, just like the expensive models. The sides and back are maple, and the elevated 20-fret fingerboard is set above the top to allow more top vibration. The beautiful, high-gloss sunburst finish on the top immediately catches the eye, but this fine instrument only LOOKS expensive! It's priced easily within range of any student, or player of another instrument who is ready to try the mandolin.

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Recording King Metal Mandolin A perfect replica of a timeless classic. made with a real spun aluminum cone where you can actually see the spirals. Featuringa bell brass body, a solid maple neck, and is nickel/silverplated. This rare and great sounding instrument has previously onlybeen available from custom resonator builders. ML-RA-998 $567.79

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Recording King Metal Mandolin Engraved A perfect replica of a timeless classic. made with a real spun aluminum cone where you can actually see the spirals. Featuringa bell brass body, a solid maple neck, and is nickel/silverplated. This rare and great sounding instrument has previously onlybeen available from custom resonator builders. ML-RA-998-E $623.89

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Mandolin / Mountain Dulcimer Jim Bow Boxwood Your mandolin can make a beautifully sustained sound much like a bowed psaltery just by bowing the strings with a JimBow. The JimBow is a small handheld bow with a curved wooden handle and nylon rod for hair. Its tightly curved shape lets you bow one or two strings at a time. The mandolin/ mountain dulcimer jimbow is smaller than the hammered dulcimer jimbows, and can also be used on mountain dulcimer. Very nicely made. With instruction sheet. Rosin not included (dark rosin recommended). DUL047B $22.00

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Mandolin / Mountain Dulcimer Jim Bow Rosewood Your mandolin can make a beautifully sustained sound much like a bowed psaltery just by bowing the strings with a JimBow. The JimBow is a small handheld bow with a curved wooden handle and nylon rod for hair. Its tightly curved shape lets you bow one or two strings at a time. The mandolin/ mountain dulcimer jimbow is smaller than the hammered dulcimer jimbows, and can also be used on mountain dulcimer. Very nicely made. With instruction sheet. Rosin not included (dark rosin recommended). DUL047R $22.00

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Snark ST8 Clip on Super Tight All Instrument Chromatic Tuner An incredible electronic tuner at an amazing price.Faster response for quick tuningBrighter display with the EZ read face for no mistakes tuningTighter frequency response for the most accurate tuning yetClip on Chromatic tuner can be used on all instrumentsTap Tempo metronome and Pitch calibrationBatteries: 1 CR2 batteries required. (included) TUN031 $19.00

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